Extruding-blowing machine for making hollow plastic articles

ABSTRACT

A machine for manufacturing plastic hollow bodies by extrusionblowing, which comprises an extruder adapted to produce a continuous tubular blank or parison delivered in a vertical direction and a plurality of molds disposed at spaced intervals about the axis of rotation of a rotatable shaft. This machine is characterized in that it comprises double-acting longitudinal pneumatic actuators of the cylinder-and-piston unit type, carried by the support of the molds, an opening ramp and a closing ramp carried by a fixed transverse plate and extending along circular arcs centered to said axis of rotation, and rollers carried by the rear ends of the rods of said pneumatic actuators, said rollers engaging said opening and closing ramps.

United States Patel;

[72] inven r Huber! Blanchard 2,579,399 12/1951 Ruekberg 18/5 8? Le Havre, France 2,750,624 6/1956 Coates et a1. 18/5 pp 6,757 2,784,452 3/1957 Ruekberg et a1 18/5 BP [22] Filed .llan.29,1970 [45] Patented Aug- 31, 1971 Primary Examzaer-J. Spencer Overholser Assignee Side, societe Anonyme Asszstanl Exammer-Norman E. Lehrer Le Havre, France Attorneys-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato [32] Priority Feb.5, 1969 [33] France [31] 69 02576 541 EXTRUDlNG-BLOWING MACHINE FOR MAKllNG 1 menufacmritg Plastic HOLLOWPLASTIC ARTICLES bodies by extrusion-blowing, which comprises an extruder 16 Claims, 29 Drawing Figs adapted to produce a continuous tubular blank or panson delivered in a vertlcal dlrectlon and a plurality of molds U.S. Bil disposed at paced intervals about the axis of rotation Of a 18/ 5 18/20 B rotatable shaft. This machine is characterized in that it com- [51] Int.Cl B29c 05/06 prises d b] ti longitudinal neumatic actuators of the [50] Field of Search a 18/5 BP,5 li d -andi to unit type, carried by the support of the BM, 5 BB, 20 3,2011 molds, an opening ramp and a closing ramp carried by a fixed transverse late and extendin alon circular arcs centered to [56] References cued said axis of i'otation, and ro11es carr ied by the rear ends of the UNITED STATES PATENTS rods of said pneumatic actuators, said rollers engaging said 2,285,150 6/1942 Ferngren 18/5 BP opening and closing ramps.

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SHEET 15 (1F 15 Ill . 2 V k a// EXTRlJlDllNG-BLOWIN G MACHINE FOR MAKING HOLLOW PLASTIC ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to machines for manufacturing hollow plastic bodies or articles by the so-called extrusion-blowing process.

A machine of this type is already known which comprises a plurality of two-section molds mounted on a common rotary support rigid with a horizontal shaft driven for continuous rotation from a motor. The molds travel in succession under the die of an extruder producing a continuous tubular blank or vertical parison of suitable plastic material. Each mold is closed in succession to trap a parison section and this section is subsequently expanded by blowing within the mold to conform in shape to the mold impression or ca ity, for example to a bottle configuration. After this shaping step and a sufficient cooling time corresponding to a predetermined angular value of a rotational movement of the mold carrier the mold con-- cerned is open to permit the stripping of the blown article or body, and the cycle can subsequently be resumed.

In a known machine of the type mentioned hereinabove each mold consists of a fixed half'section or half-mold carried by a plate rotatably rigid with the rotary shaft, and of a Ion-- gitudinally movable half-section or half mold. This movable half-mold is rigid with a rod mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in another plate rigid with the rotary shaft. Each movable half-mold is constantly urged towards the companion fixed half-mold by adequate spring means and opening and closing movements of each mold are controlled by cam means carried by the frame structure of the machine and engaged by a roller follower secured to the rod supporting the movable half-mold.

This purely mechanical arrangement for opening and closing the molds is attended by an inherent limitation in the rate of operation of the machine. In fact, if the rate of operation were increased, all the velocities would also be increased, i.e. both the velocity of rotation of the mold carrier and the velocity of translation of each movable half-mold in the opening or closing direction. Since the friction increases as the square of velocity, the lack of precision caused by this friction increases accordingly as is attended by discrepancies in the closing and opening of these molds which makes it necessary to reduce the rate of operation of the machine in order to remain within permissible limits. On the other hand, due to the accelerations imparted to the movable half-mold, which are proportional to the square of the velocities, considerable forces are required which are rather difficult to produce by using ordinary spring means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the essential object of this invention to avoid these inconveniences by providing an improved device for controlling the opening and closing movements of the molds, this device being of particularly simple design and capable of affording a high degree of precision.

To this end, this machine for the manufacture of hollow plastic articles or bodies by the so-called extrusion-blowing process, which comprises a plurality of molds carried by a rotary support revolving continuously about a horizontal axis, each mold comprising a fixed half-mold and a half-mold movable parallel to said axis of rotation, an 'extruder produc ing a continuous tubular blank or parison delivered in vertical downward direction, and blowing means carried by the various molds, is characterized in that each movable half-mold is rigid with the rod of a pneumatic cylinder-and-piston actuator having its axis parallel to said axis of rotation and carrying a roller follower rolling on mold opening and closing ramps or cam members extending along circular arcs centered to said axis of rotation and carried by a transverse plate also centered to said axis and disposed behind said pneumatic actuators, and that the two chambers of said pneumatic actuators are connected respectively to pneumatic opening and closing valves respectively of a programmer rotatably solid with said mold support and responsive to fixed opening and closing cam members, said cam members being so disposed, in relation to the corresponding ramps or cam faces, that when the opening cam opens the associated valve the roller carried by the rod of the pneumatic actuator is pushed back against a curved section of the opening ramp corresponding to the desired mold opening law, and that, similarly, when the, closing cam opens the associated valve the roller carried by the actuator rod is at tracted against a curved section of the closing ramp corresponding to the desired mold closing law.

The combination of means for pneumatically controlling the movements of the actuator rods with a definition of the laws of the movement controlled by the particular contour of said ramps or cam members is advantageous in that the machine can operate both at very high speed and with a very high degree of precision.

Besides, according to a complementary feature characterizing this invention the main shaft of the machine is coupled to a hydraulic motor operating as a motor proper only during the starting period of the machine and which, during normal operation, acts as a hydraulic brake and regulator. In fact, since during the opening and closing of each mold the follower roller carried by the rod of the pneumatic actuator associated therewith is urged against a curved section (inclined to the axis) of the opening or closing ramp or cam member, this curved section of each ramp exerts on the roller a reaction of which the transverse component generates a power torque transmitted through the actuator cylinder to said shaft. Under these conditions, the various pneumatic actuators are also operative to cause the rotation of the complete movable assembly of the machine, and during the normal operation of the machine the hydraulic motor is no more effective except as a velocity regulator.

In a specific form of embodiment of the machine according to the present invention as applied to the manufacture of plastic bottles a production rate as high as 6,000 bottles per hour was obtained, as contrasted to a maximum rate of 3,000

bottles per hour obtained with machines of the same type but according to conventional design.

The machine according to this invention comprises other improvements concerning the means for locking the molds in their closed position; the adjustment during the machine operation of the plate carrying the mold opening and closing ramps or cam members; and also the design and arrangement of the cam means controlling the different pneumatic valves, the mold cooling system, the safety device, the hydraulic means for rotatably driving the main shaft and the movement of the machine as a whole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Now a typical form of embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the attached diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. l is a vertical axial diagrammatic section showing a machine for molding hollow bodies or articles of thermoplastic material according to the teachings of the present.

invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section showing on a larger scale the device controlling the mold closing and opening movements;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the plate carrying the FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the pneumatic system controlling the locking actuators or cylinder-and-piston units;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the same system as seen from the right-hand side of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of the pneumatic system for supplying hydraulic fluid to the locking actuators and to the blowing head of a single mold;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal section showing a movable halfmold and a fixed half-mold with their supports, in the closedmold condition;

FIG. 13 is an elevational view showing a baseplate to which the movable half-mold is secured;

FIG. 14 is a section taken along the line XIVXIV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a section taken along the line XVXV of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a section taken along the line XVIXVI of FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 is an elevational view showing the safety device adapted to detect the presence of an object trapped between the joints of a closed mold;

FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is an elevational view showing the device for locking the ramp-supporting plate in relation to the frame structure of the machine;

FIG. 20 is a section taken along the line XXXX of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a section taken along the line XXL-XXI of FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is an elevational view showing the device for adjusting the angular position of the ramp-supporting plate;

FIG. 23 is a section taken along the line XXIII-XXIII of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is an elevational view showing the mechanism for rotatably driving the machine shaft;

FIG. 25 is an end view taken from the left hand side of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a circuit diagram of the hydraulic system for rotatably driving the machine shaft;

FIG. 27 is a vertical section showing on a larger scale a single foot of the machine base;

FIG. 28 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the lower frame structure of the extruder;

FIG. 29 is a horizontal section taken along the line XXIX-- I XXIX ofFIG. 28.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A brief description of the essential component elements of the molding machine according to this invention will firstly be given with reference more particularly to FIG. I of the drawmg.

The molding machine proper, designated in general by the reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1, is operatively associated with an extruder 2 pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis to a lower frame structure 3. This extruder 2 is of any known and suitable type; it is shown only in fragmentary and diagrammatic fashion in FIG. 1 and comprises an extrusion head 4 mounted in overhanging relationship to the other parts of the extruder and provided with a die designed for delivering by force feed a vertical tubular parison 5 of soft thermoplastic material.

The molding machine proper 1 comprises a frame structure 6 consisting essentially of a baseplate 7 supported by feet 8, and vertical uprights 9. These uprights carry horizontal cross members 11 having a pair of bearings 12 and 13 secured thereto. Trunnioned in these hearings is a horizontal shaft 14 driven for continuous rotation in the direction of the arrow f in FIG. 1. This shaft 14 is rotatably driven from a hydraulic motor 15 through transmission means denoted as a whole at 16 and to be described in detail presently.

The machine further comprises a rotary mold support, the molding impressions or cavities of the molds corresponding in shape to the hollow bodies or articles to be produced. This to tary support for two-section molds comprises three circular transverse plates l7, l8 and 19 spaced from one another. The plate 19 carries a number of fixed half-molds 21, say eight, regularly spaced about the axis of rotation of shaft 14, and the other two plates 17 and 18 carry along the outer periphery a corresponding number of pneumatic longitudinal actuators or cylinder-and-piston power units 22 controlling through their piston rods 23 the longitudinal movements of movable halfmolds 24. Thus, each mold in the machine according to this invention consists of a fixed half-mold 21 carried by the plate 19 and of a movable half-mold 24 carried by a rod 23 of a pneumatic actuator 22.

Associated with each movable half-mold 24 is a longitudinal blowing cylinder 20 controlling the movement of a blowing head 20a adapted to blow into the hollow bodies within the molds.

The rod 23 of each pneumatic actuator 22 has its end remote from the end supporting the movable half-mold 24 rigid with a longitudinal support 25 having rotatably mounted thereon, about a transverse axis, a roller 26 adapted to engage mold-opening and mold-closing ramps or cam members carried by a transverse cam-supporting plate 27 secured to the frame structure of the machine but adjustable to the proper angular proposition as will be explained presently. The shaft 14 extends through this plate 27 and the latter carries on its right-hand face (as seen in FIG. 1) cam members adapted to actuate pneumatic valves incorporated in a programmer designated in general by the reference numeral 28, said valves being mounted on a circular plate 29 rotatably driven from said shaft 14. These valves are adapted to control the cyclical supply of pneumatic fluid to the various pneumatic devices of the machine, as will be explained presently.

FIG. 1 also shows a horizontal belt conveyor 31 carried by the baseplate '7 of the frame structure and adapted to discharge the wastes or sprues detached from the molded hollow articles.

Now reference will be made more particularly to FIGS. 2 to 5 inclusive for describing the device controlling the opening and closing of each mold in the machine. This devicecomprises essentially, for each mold, a double-acting pneumatic actuator 22 the rod 23 of which, rigid with the actuator piston 22a, is reciprocated in the longitudinal direction. The piston 22a divides the cylinder 22b of actuator 22 into two chambers, namely a closing chamber 22c and an opening chamber 22d. The closing chamber 22c is connected to a compressed air supply line 32 through a quick-drain device 33 and a circuit selector 34. Similarly, the opening chamber 22d is connected to another compressed-air supply line 35 via a quick-drain device 36 and a circuit selector 37.

Lines 32 and 35 are connected to a pair of pneumatic valves 28a and 28b respectively, these valves being an integral part of the programmer 28 carried by the circular plate 29. The rods provided for actuating these valves have rigidly mounted on their outer ends corresponding rollers engaging corresponding cam members secured to the transverse face of the ramp-supporting plate 27 mounted in turn to the shaft 14 by means of bearings 30. These cam members extend along circular concentric arcs having predetermined lengths and angular positions, and comprise means for adjusting their angular positions, as shown in FIG. 3. The plate 27 carries eight arcuate cams, i.e. from the center outwards, firstly a sprue-removing cam 38, then a release cam 39, a locking cam 41, a first-step blowing cam 42, a mold-opening cam 43, a mold-closing cam 44, a blowing cylinder control cam 45 and finally, at the outer periphery, a second-step blowing cam 46. All these cams extend on circular arcs having different radii and are distributed on different circles, but this arrangement given by way of example should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the actuator and mold are shown in the closed-mold position corresponding to the opening of valve 28a of which the roller follower has engaged the mold closing cam 44. This valve 28a as well as the other valves associated with each mold are fed with compressed air through holes formed in the shaft M by reason of one hole per function contemplated, one multiway rotary seal at the shaft end and one pressure-reducing device per function in the control board. The supply of fluid to the various valves is not illustrated in the Figures in order to avoid overburdening the drawing.

The end of rod 23 of pneumatic actuator 22 which is adjacent to the fixed half-mold 21 is rigid with a mold-carrier plate 47 having secured thereto by means of screws 48 a baseplate 49 rigid with the movable half-mold 24. A flexible hose 5!. is connected at one end to a union 52 carried by the mold-carrier plate 437 and at the opposite end to another union 53 mounted on a hollow shaft 54- coaxial to, and rotatably solid with, the main shaft M. The first union 533 communicates with a circular inner groove 55 formed in the bore of hollow shaft 54 and connected in turn through a duct 56 formed in the shaft 14 to a source of cooling fluid, for example water. The circular groove 55 communicates likewise, via a longitudinal duct 57 formed in the hollow shaft 54 and a pipeline 138 connecting the duct 57 to an orifice formed in plate 19, with a plate or base member 58 secured to said plate 119 and having the fixed half-mold 21 secured thereto. The return of cooling fluid from the movable half-mold 26 and fixed half-mold 211 takes place in the same manner through ducts formed in shaft 14 and pipelines connecting the mold carrier plates 49 and 58 to these pipelines.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, each plate 47 supporting a movable half-mold 26 is guided in the longitudinal direction of the machine by a rotation-preventing key 59 secured to a support 61 rigid with the hollow shaft 56. This key 59 consists of a parallelepipedic block extending longitudinally of the machine and has its lateral faces slidably engaged by a pair of shoes 62 secured to the lateral faces of the mold carrier plate 47 so as to constitute a downward extension thereof. Thus, the mold carrier plate 67 and the movable half-mold 24 rigid therewith are held against rotation and the rod 23 of actuator 22 cannot revolve about its axis.

At its opposite end, i.e. the end remote from the movable half-mold 2d, the rod 23 is rigid with support 25 to which the roller follower 26 is rotatably mounted. This roller 26, during the rotation of the movable assembly, coacts with ramps or cam members secured to a peripheral skirt 63 rigid with the cam-supporting plate 27, said skirt having a substantially semicylindrical configuration. Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, it will be seen that this skirt 63 extends along half a circle and that its development, in the full set of operations of a cycle corresponding to a complete revolution of shaft M (in the clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3, corresponds to the mold-opening operation, to the transfer of the open molds and to the mold-closing operation.

As shown in FIG. 5, the skirt 63 carries a plurality of cam sections secured by means of screws 66 and interconnected from the inlet end A of skirt 63 to the outlet end B thereof. In FIG. 5, the rollers 26 engaging these various cam faces travel from left to right and at the inlet end A they are in the the closed-mold position as shown at 260 in FIG. 5, so as to be subsequently shifted to another position 26b corresponding to the open-mold position, and eventually emerge from these cam faces at the end B in the closed-mold position 26a.

The various cam sections carried by the skirt 63 are as follows, as seen from the inlet end A: firstly, an opening ramp 65 formed with an inlet edge 65a inclined downwards as seen in FIG. 5, then, a transverse rectilinear edge 6511 followed by a curved upwardly inclined edge 65c merging into a transverse rectilinear edge 65d, then an intermediate counter-ramp 66 and a closing counter-ramp 67, these two counter-ramps having coextensive rectilinear transverse edges also aligned with the edge 65d which extend to the outlet end B.

On the other side, the skirt 63 carries in succession an opening counter-ramp 68 formed with a rectilinear transverse edge 68a registering with the edges 65a and 65b of opening ramp 65, then an upwardly inclined edge 65812 merging gradually into a counter-ramp 69 having a rectilinear transverse edge, which registers with the aforesaid counter-ramp 66, then a closing ramp 711 formed with a transverse rectilinear edge 71a continuing the edge of counter-ramp 69, and then a downwardly inclined curved edge: 71b merging into a transverse outlet edge 710, these edges 71b and '7il llc merging substantially at a point coincident with the vertical plane x-y containing the machine axis.

Now the successive steps of the mold opening and closing operations will be described by assuming that a closed mold rotatably driven in the clockwise direction (FIG. 3), after overstepping the bottom dead point, reaches the position corresponding to the inlet end A of skirt 63. At that time, the mold roller 26 is in the closing position 26a and in this position it engages the rectilinear edge 66a of the opening counterramp 6%. When the roller 26a lies between the rectilinear edges 65b and 66a of ramps 65 and 68, in a position denoted C, the mold-opening cam 43 controls the opening of pneu matic valve 26b and the supply of fluid to chamber 22d of actuator 22. At this time the piston rod 23 is pushed back to the left as seen in FIG. 2 and the roller 26 is urged by a force Fl against the rectilinear edge 65b. Then the roller 26 rolls along the last portion of edge 65b, and subsequently along the curved edge 65c moving gradually upwards in FIG. 5, thus causing the progressive opening of the mold. Then the roller continues to be urged against the rectilinear edge 65d until 'it reaches position D. This position corresponds in FIG. 3 to the end of the opening ramp 63 so that afterwards the valve Zilb is closed again and the actuator 22 is no more supplied with compressed air. The roller 26 is'in position 261; corresponding to the open mold and the movable assembly continues its movement, the mold remaining open while the roller travels between the counter-ramps 66 and 69, then between the rectilinear edge 71a of closing ramp Ill and the rectilinear counter-ramp 67.

When the roller reaches position E corresponding to the beginning of the mold-closing cam 44 (FIG. 3) this cam controls the opening of valve 26a and therefore the supply of compressed air to chamber 22c of actuator 22. At this time the rod 23 is pushed to the right as seen; in FIG. 2 and the roller 26 is urged by a force F against the last portion of rectilinear edge 71a. Roller 26 continues its movement along the curved edge 7111 while being still urged thereagainst, and follows gradually this edge to closing position 26a when attaining the rectilinear edge 7110. At this time the mold has been gradually closed and the compressed air controlling the mold-closing movement is maintained until position F (FIG. 3) is reached, where the roller leaves the closing ramp 71 and is suspended in the air. This position corresponds to the end of the closing cam 44 as shown in FIG. 3 and at this time the cam releases the valve 28a which is thus reclosed to discontinue the supply of compressed air to actuator 22.

As can be inferred from the above description the actuator 22 is supplied with compressed air at the beginning, during the mold opening phase, i.e. a time period corresponding to an angular movement of about 45, between positions C and D, and at the end, for closing the mold, during a time period corresponding to an angular movement of about 45, between positions E and F. During these two phases the roller 26 remains urged against the portions of the cam edges which are shown in thick lines in FIG. 5.

The opening point of each mold can be adjusted by modifying accordingly the lengths of the rectilinear cam faces 66 and 69.

The contour of the curved edge 650 of opening ramp 65 and the contour of the curved edge 71b of closing ramp 71 are so determined that the longitudinal accelerations at the points of mcrgence with these rectilinear edges and at the points of in flexion of the curved edges be reduced to zero. Thus, any

detrimental vibration at the beginning of the opening or closing stroke is safely avoided, as well as any shock at the end of this stroke and also at the points of inflexion (change of ramp 71 includes a point of inflexion I engaged by the roller 26 when the movable half-mold engages the parison.

An important feature characterizing the mold opening and closing device is that the pneumatic actuators 22 constitute power members locking the self-rotation of shaft 14 and of the movable assembly carried thereby. In fact, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the roller 26, during the mold-opening stroke from position C to position D, exerts a longitudinal force F 1 against the curved edge 650 of ramp 65 and this force F produces a transverse component f tending to rotate the actuator 22 about the axis of shaft 14. Similarly, during the closing stroke between positions E and F, the roller 26 exerts against the curved edge 71b a longitudinal force F: (opposed to F producing a transverse component f of same direction as the transverse component f Under these conditions, each actuator 22 produces during a complete revolution two power torques of same direction, namely a first torque during the half-mold opening phase and a second torque during the half-mold closing phase. Since the movable assembly comprises eight pneumatic actuators 22, all these torques take place in succession to produce a variable torque causing the rotation of shaft 14. This specific feature of the molding machine according to this invention would be attended by the racing of shaft 14 if means were not provided for braking this shaft, as will be explained presently.

As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the ramp-supporting plate 27 has two opening 72 and 73 formed therethrough to permit the access from the exterior to the various valves of the programmer, for replacing these valves when necessary.

Besides, 'the ramp-carrier plate 27 is secured to the frame structure of the machine, at its lower portion, through a device of the screw-and-nut type to be described presently.

Now reference will be made more particularly to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 to describe the device contemplated for locking the molds in their closed position. As shown in FIG. 6 the plate 47 supporting the movable half-mold 24 carries on each of its lateral faces a locking lug 74 formed at its operative end with a pair of opposite horns 75. Each locking lug 74 is secured to the mold carrier plate 47 by means of a pair of superposed screws 76 and 77. The shank of the lower screw 77 extends through a hole of same dimension formed in the lug 74 and the shank 76a of the other screw 76 extends through a hole of greater diameter and also through an annular resilient rubber grommet 78 interposed between this shank 76a and the cavity therefor. This resilient rubber grommet 78 provides a slight angular play to avoid the transmission of shocks when the locking device is operated in the closing direction as will be seen presently The locking device further comprises on either side of the fixed half-mold a support 79 consisting of a pair of parallel flanges secured to the plate 19 and having pivoted thereto, by means of pins 81 and 82, a pair of hooks, namely an upper hook 83 and a lower hook 84. The operative ends 83a and 84a of these hooks 83, 84 coact with the edges of the horns 75a of locking lug 74 for firmly retaining this lug against movement in the locking position, i.e. when the ends of books 83 and 84 are moved towards each other. The operative ends 83a and 84a of hooks 83 and 84 engage the edges of horns 75 which are inclined to an angle controlling the prestressed condition of each mold in its closed position. This angle is so calculated that the movement is reversible; that is to say, the locking means can be released automatically by the reaction of roller 26 against the opening ramp in case the release means failed to operate.

The hooks 83 and 84 extend through a vertical slot 85 formed through the plate 19. The rear end of upper hook 83 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 86 to a strap 87 rigid with the cylinder of a locking actuator 88. On the other hand, the

rear end of the lower hook 84 is pivoted about a pin 89 to the 'curve). On the other hand, the curved'point 71b of closing end of the piston rod 91 of locking actuator 88. Of course, each fixed half-mold 21 has associated therewith a pair of locking actuators 88 and 88a controlling respectively the two pairs of hooks 83 and 84 disposed on either side of the fixed half-mold. The front ends of actuators 88 and 88a are connected via flexible hoses 92 and 92a to unions 93 carried by the hollow shaft 54 and communicating with a longitudinal locking duct 95 formed in this shaft 54. Similarly, the rear or bottomrends of actuators 88 and 880 are connected via flexible hoses96 and 96a to unions 97 communicating with a release duct 98 formed through the hollow shaft 54.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the ducts 95 and 98 communicate intum with pipelines 99 and 101, respectively. Pipeline 99 is connected to the outlet 102a of a pneumatic distributor 102 having its inlet 102!) connected via a pipeline 103 to a locking valve 28c (FIG. 2) incorporated in the programmer 28. This valve 280 is responsive to the cam 41 of FIG. 3. These components are also illustrated in the diagram of the pneumatic control circuit of FIG. 11.

Besides, the pipeline 101 is connected to the outlet of a circuit selector 104 having one inlet connected to an outlet 1020 of the distributor and the other inlet connected via a pipeline 105 to a release valve 28d incorporated in the programmer 28. This valve is responsive to the cam 39 of FIG. 3.

Under normal operating conditions it will be seen (see FIG. 3) that shortly after the mold has been closed under the control of cam 44, thecam 41 causes the opening of locking valve 28c so that this valve (FIG. 11) can supply compressed air to the front end of locking actuators 88 and 88a via distributor 102, between its inlet 102k and outlet 102a, and also through pipeline 99, duct 95 and flexible hoses 92 and 92a. Thus, the mold is locked in its closed position throughout the duration of the blowing of the tubular parison and the cooling of the blown or inflated hollow body. At the end of the cooling period the cam 39 opens the locking valve 28d which delivers compressed fluid through the circuit selector 104 to the pair of actuators 88 and 880 but at the bottom end thereof, in order to control the opening of hooks 83 and 84. Shortly afterwards the cam 43 controls the mold opening in the manner already described hereinabove.

In FIGS. 9 and 10, there is illustrated a device for releasing or unlocking the mold in case an object were trapped in the joint plane between the two mold halves, in order to permit the subsequent opening of the mold.

This device comprises a control valve 106 having its inlet connected through a pipeline 107 to the inlet 102b of distributor 102, i.e. to pipeline 103, the outlet of said valve being connected via another pipeline 108 to one control inlet 102d of distributor 102. This distributor comprises another control inlet 102e connected permanently through pipeline 109 to its inlet 10212. I

The control valve 106 comprises a control lever 111 housed within an inverted-U section member 1 12 rigid with the rod 23 of actuator 22. The web of section 112 has formed therethrough an aperture 113 registering with said control lever 111 but only when the mold is closed. In this case, and in this case only, it is possible to actuate the lever 111 through this aperture 113 to release or unlock the mold in case an ob-.

manually the mold opening by means of an air hole connected to the circuit selector 37 of FIG. 2.

The purpose of the masking member 112 is to prevent the operation of control valve 106 as long as the mold is open.

Therefore, it positively prevents any mold locking operation from taking place before the mold is duly closed. Otherwise, the mold might be closed by the roller 26 engaging the edge 65a (FIG. 5) after the operation of the locking means, thus causing jamming in the assembly. 

1. Machine for manufacturing plastic hollow bodies by extrusionblowing, which comprises a shaft mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a support rigid with said shaft, means for rotatably and continuously driving said shaft and said support, an extruder adapted to produce a continuous tubular blank or parison delivered in a vertical direction, a plurality of molds disposed at spaced intervals about the axis of rotation of said shaft, each mold comprising a fixed half-mold and a movable halfmold adapted to be moved parallel to said axis of rotation, double-acting longitudinal pneumatic actuators of the cylinderand-piston unit type, carried by said rotary support and associated with the different molds respectively, each actuator comprising a piston forming in said actuator two chambers, namely a front mold-opening chamber and a rear mold-closing chamber, and a rod rigid with said piston and extending through said actuator, said movable half-mold being secured to a first or front end of said rod, a fixed transverse plate centered to said axis of rotation of said mold support and disposed behind said pneumatic actuators, an opening ramp and a closing ramp carried by said fixed transverse plate and extending along circular arcs centered to said axis of rotation, rollers carried by the rear ends of the rods of said pneumatic actuators, said rollers engaging said opening and closing ramps, a programmer rotatably solid with said mold support and comprising, for each mold, a group of associated pneumatic valves including an opening valve and a closing valve connected to the front opening chambers and to the rear closing chambers respectively of the associated pneumatic actuators, and a fixed mold opening cam and a fixed mold-closing cam acting upon said mold opening and closing valves, respectively, during the rotation of said mold support, said opening and closing cams being so disposed, in relation to the relevant opening and closing ramps, that when the fixed mold-opening cam controls the opening of a pneumatic opening valve associated with a given mold the roller carried by the rod of the pneumatic actuator associated with this mold is urged against a curved portion of the opening ramp defining the mold opening law, and that similarly, when the fixed closing cam causes the opening of the closing valve associated with a mold the roller carried by the rod of the pneumatic actuator associated with the mold is urged against the curved portion of the closing ramp defining the mold closing law.
 2. Machine according to claim 1, comprising, for each mold, a first pneumatic pipeline connecting the front opening chamber of the pneumatic actuator associated with this mold to the pneumatic opening valve of said programmer, a first circuit selector interposed in said first pneumatic pipeline, a second pneumatic pipeline connecting the rear closing chamber of said pneumatic actuator to the pneumatic closing valve and a second circuit selector interposed in said second pneumatic pipeline, each one of said first and second circuit selectors comprising an orifice permitting of connecting a compressed-air injection nozzle for manually controlling the mold opening and closing movements.
 3. Machine according to claim 1, comprising a substantially semicylindrical skirt rigid with said fixed transverse plate and having secured thereto the aforesaid opening and closing ramps, and wherein said opening and closing ramps comprise, in developed view and as seen from the roller inlet end to the roller outlet end, a first pair of rectilinear transverse edges between which each roller is adapted to be engaged, then a second pair of curved edges inclined to the rear, then a third pair of rectilinear transverse edges, said closing ramp ending with a fourth curved edge inclined in the forward direction and connected to a fifth rectilinear transverse edge, the shapes of said second curved and rearwardly inclined edge of said opening ramp and said fourth curved and forwardly inclined edge of said closing ramp being such that the longitudinal accelerations impressed to said rollers as a consequence of the law of motion defined by said curved edges be zero at the points where said edges merge into the adjacent rectilinear transverse edges and into the points of inflexion of the curved edges, the fourth curved edge of the closing ramp having a point of inflexion at the point engaged by said roller when the movable half-mold engages said parison.
 4. Machine according to claim 1, comprising openings formed in said fixed transverse plate supporting the closing and opening ramps to permit an easy access from the rear of the machine to the pneumatic valves of said programmer.
 5. Machine according to claim 1, comprising bearings disposed centrally of said fixed transverse plate carrying the closing and opening ramps, the shaft rigid with said mold support being rotatably mounted in relation to said transverse plate through the medium of said bearings.
 6. Machine according to claim 1, comprising, for each mold, a first plate secured to the front end of the rod of the associated pneumatic actuator and to which the movable half-mold is mounted, and a longitudinal block rigid with said rotary support, for guiding said mold-supporting plate during its longitudinal sliding movement.
 7. Machine according to claim 6, comprising a second transverse plate forming an integral part of the rotary mold support and carrying all the fixed half-molds, and, for a mold, two anchor lugs secured to the two lateral faces of the first plate carrying the movable half-mold, respectively, the front ends of these anchoring lugs constituting hornlike projections of greater width, a pair of upper and lower hooks mounted on the second plate carrying the fixed half-molds, on either side of each fixed half-mold, each pair of said upper and lower horns registering with an anchor lug of the corresponding movable half-mold, the upper and lower hooks of each pair being pivotally mounted to said second plate, said hooks comprising on the rear side of said second plate, curved rear ends bearing against the edge of the horn of the associated anchoring lug, in the closed-mold position, for locking the relevant mold, a slot formed in said second movable half-mold supporting plate and through which extend the upper and lower hooks of a same pair, a pneumatic actuator for locking and releasing the mold, said actuator being disposed on the front side of said second plate carrying the fixed half-molds, each pneumatic locking and release actuator acting upon the front ends of a pair of upper and lower hooks, whereby the stroke of the rod of said actuator in one direction causes the movement of the rear curved ends of said upper and lower hooks away from each other and therefore the release of the relevant mold. the stroke in the opposite direction of the rod of said actuator causing the movement of the curved rear ends of said hooks towards each other for clamping therebetween the associated anchoring horns and thus lock the mold in its closed position.
 8. Machine according to claim 7, which comprises, for each mould, first and second pneumatic locking and release actuators controlling first and second pairs of upper and lower hooks respectively, locking pipe lines connected to first chambers of said pair of pneumatic locking and release actuators, release pipelines connected to said second chambers of said pair of pneumatic locking and release actuators, a pneumatic locking valve and a pneumatic release valve forming part of said programmer and connected to said locking and release pipelines respectively, a pneumatic distributor connected between said pneumatic locking valve and said locking pipeline, said pneumatic distributor comprising an inlet directly connected to said locking valve, a first control inlet directly connected to the inlet of said distributor and a second control inlet, a manually operated monitoring valve inserted between said second control inlet and the distributor inlet, a lever for controlling said monitoring controlling said monitoring valve, a masking member rigid with the rod of said pneumatic mold-opening and closing actuator and adapted to receive said monitoring-valve control lever, and an opening formed in said masking member and so positioned that said opening registers with said monitoring-valve control lever only when said mold is in its closed position.
 9. Machine according to claim 1, which comprises, for each fixed and movable half-mold, a mold carrier plate secured in turn to a corresponding supporting plate, first holes formed in said mold carrier plate, first screws extending through said holes for securing said half-mold to said mold carrier plate, second holes formed through said mold carrier plate, nuts and second screws housed in said second holes for securing said mold carrier plate to its supporting plate, ducts formed in said mold carrier plate, first orifices formed in a first face of said mold carrier plate which contacts said supporting plate, said orifices communicating with said ducts, second orifices formed in said supporting plate which register with said fiRst orifices formed in said first face of said mold carrier plate and are intended for the circulation of cooling water and possibly for supplying compressed air, and third orifices formed in said second face of said mold carrier plate which contacts said half-mold and communicates with said ducts for transmitting cooling water and possibly compressed air within said half-mold.
 10. Machine according to claim 9, in which said plate carrying the movable half-mold comprises two longitudinal ducts formed within said plate and communicating respectively with a first pair of orifices of relatively large diameter formed in the first face of said mold carrier plate for the ingress and exhaust of cooling water, said two longitudinal ducts also communicating with third orifices of smaller diameter formed in the second face of said mold carrier plate.
 11. Machine according to claim 9, wherein the plate carrying the fixed half-mold has formed therein a pair of longitudinal ducts communicating respectively with first orifices of relatively great diameter formed in the first face of said mold carrier plate and also with third orifices of smaller diameter formed in the second face of said plate, said mould carrier plate further comprising a third longitudinal duct, a fourth compressed-air inlet orifice communicating with said third longitudinal duct and formed in the first face of said mold carrier plate, and a fifth compressed-air exhaust orifice formed in the second face of said mold carrier plate and located beneath half-mold fixed half-mold in order to supply compressed air to a pneumatic sprue-removing device.
 12. Machine according to claim 1, comprising a hydraulic motor, an output shaft of said hydraulic motor rotatably driven therefrom, first and second sprockets rotatably solid with said output shaft of said hydraulic motor, first and second chain wheels, one chain wheel being rigid with the machine shaft while the other chain wheel is mounted for loose rotation on said shaft, first and second endless chains operatively connecting said first sprocket to the first chain wheel and said second sprocket to said second chain wheel, respectively, a chain tensioning device adapted to couple said chain wheels and tending to pivot said chain wheels in opposite directions, a brake adapted to act upon said shaft of said hydraulic driving motor, and a brake actuator controlling said brake.
 13. Machine according to claim 12, which comprises a hydraulic feed system associated with said hydraulic motor for driving the machine, said system comprising an oil reservoir, a constant output pump taking oil from said reservoir and forcing same towards said hydraulic motor, a first spring-loaded valve for returning the excess oil to the reservoir and, downstream of said hydraulic motor, an output regulator for adjusting the motor speed, a distributor adapted to open or close said hydraulic circuit for the electric ON-OFF control of the machine, and a second spring-loaded valve branched off said output regulator and said ON-OFF control distributor.
 14. Machine according to claim 13, comprising a pneumatic distributor including a hydraulic control inlet and two outlets to which the actuator controlling the brake associated with the shaft of said hydraulic motor is connected, a source of compressed air connected to said pneumatic distributor, a hydraulic valve having its inlet connected to the pipeline supplying hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic motor and its outlet connected to the control inlet of said pneumatic distributor, said hydraulic valve being normally closed when the machine is inoperative, and electric control means for opening said hydraulic valve when starting the machine.
 15. Machine according to claim 1, which comprises a frame structure carrying the rotary mold support, a plurality of feet through which said frame structure bears on the floor, each foot comprising a show shoe and a vertically adjustable rod rigid with said frame structure, said shoe being also rigid with saiD rod, a duct formed through said shoe, a source of compressed air, a flexible house connecting said source of compressed air to said duct, a resilient pad on the floor and a base member bearing upon said resilient pad to permit the production of an air cushion between said shoe and said baseplate.
 16. Machine according to claim 15, which further comprises at the extruder''s frame structure a pair of horizontal brackets rigid with said last-named structure at the lower portion thereof, vertical wings constituting the extensions of said horizontal brackets, a pair of frames carried by said structure and adapted to receive said vertical wings in central recesses, and adjustment screws extending through the sides of each frame and engaging with their ends the faces of the vertical wings of said brackets, for adjusting the position of the frame structure of the machine in relation to the frame structure of said extruder when said machine frame structure is floating on said air-cushions. 